1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shoe, more particularly to a shoe with a lace tightening assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/920,946, the applicant disclosed a double-bow shoe lace device for a shoe. The double-bow shoe lace device includes a shoe lace, a clamp member, and an assembly of two loops and a decorative knot. The shoe lace has a first lace segment that is strung on the shoe so as to form a criss-cross pattern on the eyelet tabs, and a second lace segment that includes first and second lace portions. Each of the lace portions has a lower end connected to the first lace segment so as to be anchored on a respective one of the eyelet tabs. The clamp member is sleeved slidably on at least one of the lace portions. Downward and upward movements of the clamp member along at least one of the lace portions result in tightening and loosening of the shoe. The assembly is disposed on and externally of the clamp member.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lace tightening assembly for use with a shoe body, which facilitates tightening and loosening of a shoe lace.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a lace tightening assembly that facilitates tightening and loosening of a shoe lace, and that is relatively effective for hiding the lace tightening assembly.
The lace tightening assembly for use with a shoe body according to one aspect of this invention is adapted for use with a shoe body that has a front end, a rear end, a shoe opening adjacent to the rear end, a shoe tongue that extends along a reference line from the front end toward the shoe opening, a pair of eyelet tabs disposed on opposite lateral sides of the shoe tongue, and a shoe lace tied to the eyelet tabs and having a pair of distal lace segments. The lace tightening assembly includes a connecting member and two lace tightening units.
The connecting member has two opposite end segments and an intermediate segment between the end segments. The intermediate segment extends along a longitudinal direction transverse to the reference line when the connecting member is disposed on the shoe body.
The lace tightening units are connected to the opposite end segments of the connecting member, respectively. Each of the lace tightening units includes a mounting seat, a pivot axle, a tightening member, and a pull cord.
The mounting seat includes a pair of side walls spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the reference line when the mounting seat is disposed on the shoe body. Each of the side walls has proximate and distal edges respectively disposed proximate to and distal from the connecting member. Each of the side walls further has a top edge that interconnects the proximate and distal edges. The mounting seat further includes a top wall that interconnects the top edges of the side walls and that cooperates with the side walls to form a lace receiving space. The top wall has an inner wall surface that confronts the lace receiving space and that has first and second wall ends spaced apart from each other. The top wall further has a hole formed therethrough for access to the lace receiving space.
The pivot axle extends between the side walls, and is disposed between the distal and proximate edges of the side walls and distal from the top wall.
The tightening member is disposed in the lace receiving space, and has a pivot portion mounted pivotally on the pivot axle, a clamping portion extending from the pivot portion, and an actuating portion extending from the pivot portion and distal from the clamping portion. The tightening member cooperates with the inner wall surface of the top wall to confine a lace passage within the lace receiving space. The lace passage has a first passage opening defined by the first wall end and the actuating portion, and a second passage opening defined by the second wall end and the clamping portion.
The pull cord extends through the hole in the top wall and is connected to the actuating portion of the tightening member.
The lace passage in the mounting seat of each of the lace tightening units is adapted to permit passage of a respective one of the distal lace segments of the shoe lace therethrough.
The tightening member of each of the lace tightening units is pivotable inside the lace receiving space between a shoe lace tightening position, in which the actuating portion is urged by the respective one of the distal lace segments of the shoe lace to pivot toward the reference line to cause the clamping portion to move toward the reference line to thereby clamp the respective one of the distal lace segments of the shoe lace at the second passage opening, and a shoe lace loosening position, in which the actuating portion is pulled to pivot away from the reference line upon application of a pulling force on the pull cord to cause the clamping portion to move away from the reference line to thereby release the respective one of the distal lace segments of the shoe lace from being clamped at the second passage opening.
The shoe according to another aspect of this invention includes a shoe body, a lace tightening assembly, and a shoe lace.
The shoe body has a front end, a rear end, a shoe opening adjacent to the rear end, a shoe tongue that extends along a reference line from the front end toward the shoe opening, and a pair of eyelet tabs disposed on opposite lateral sides of the shoe tongue. Each of the eyelet tabs is formed with a plurality of eyelets.
The lace tightening assembly includes a mounting seat, a pivot axle, a tightening member, and a pull cord.
The mounting seat includes a pair of side walls spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the reference line when the mounting seat is disposed on the shoe body. Each of the side walls has proximate and distal edges respectively disposed proximate to and distal from the reference line when the mounting seat is disposed on the shoe body. Each of the side walls further has a top edge that interconnects the proximate and distal edges. The mounting seat further includes a top wall that interconnects the top edges of the side walls and that cooperates with the side walls to form a lace receiving space. The top wall has an inner wall surface that confronts the lace receiving space and that has first and second wall ends spaced apart from each other in a direction transverse to the reference line when the mounting seat is disposed on the shoe body. The top wall further has a hole formed therethrough for access to the lace receiving space.
The pivot axle extends between the side walls, and is disposed between the distal and proximate edges of the side walls and distal from the top wall.
The tightening member is disposed in the lace receiving space, and has a pivot portion mounted pivotally on the pivot axle, a clamping portion that extends from the pivot portion, and an actuating portion extending from the pivot portion and distal from the clamping portion. The tightening member cooperates with the inner wall surface of the top wall to confine a lace passage within the lace receiving space. The lace passage has a first passage opening defined by the first wall end and the actuating portion, and a second passage opening defined by the second wall end and the clamping portion.
The pull cord extends through the hole in the top wall and is connected to the actuating portion of the tightening member.
The shoe lace is tied to the eyelet tabs in the eyelets. The shoe lace has a fixing segment fixed on the mounting seat, a positioning segment with an upper end connected to the fixing segment and a lower end anchored on one of the eyelet tabs proximate to the shoe opening, and a distal segment extending from the other one of the eyelet tabs proximate to the shoe opening and through the lace passage in the mounting seat.
The tightening member is pivotable inside the lace receiving space between a shoe lace tightening position, in which the actuating portion is urged by the distal segment of the shoe lace to pivot toward the reference line to cause the clamping portion to move toward the reference line to thereby clamp the distal segment of the shoe lace at the second passage opening, and a shoe lace loosening position, in which the actuating portion is pulled to pivot away from the reference line upon application of a pulling force on the pull cord to cause the clamping portion to move away from the reference line to thereby release the distal segment of the shoe lace from being clamped at the second passage opening.